Returning the Favor

Long ago, I wrote a small check in support of The Nature Conservancy (TNC).  I liked their mission. An at-risk element of ecological sensitivity was behind each acre they secured.  Other conservation organizations were maniacally zealous about preserving land – any land – and that’s not the kind of conservationist I am.

In 2007, my support of TNC became more tangible.  I volunteered to do some photo monitoring at Ogden’s Cave – the closest preserves to my home.  I made a few trips to this cool property in my role as monitor and instantly fell in love with it.  However, shortly after I became involved, the cave was turned over to the State of Virginia’s Department of Conservation, meaning my volunteer efforts and love affair came to an end. 

A few months ago, I received an email from TNC looking for volunteer Preserve Monitors.  Basically, they need caring people to visit preserves, perform minor trail maintenance, and report their findings.  I signed up in a blink.  My preserve to monitor will be Wildcat Mountain near Marshall and we had our organizational meeting this past Saturday.  Everyone in attendance seemed to bear the same conservation ideals as I, which served only to reinforce the reasoning behind writing that small check long ago.

Over the years, I’ve made a habit out of visiting TNC preserves, both near and far.  I’ve stood feet-immersed in the sand-rock potholes of Indiana, strolled through a maritime forest along the coast of North Carolina, and breathed the cooled air venting from the talus slope of a West Virginia mountain.  In Virginia, I’ve visited nearly half the state’s preserves.  Far or near, all TNC visits through the years have made for unique and memorable experiences. 

In 2001, I made my first visit to Wildcat.  It was early spring - that time of year when winter ever-so-slightly begins to yield its grip.  I had the preserve to myself allowing for unadulterated exploration.  It was a fine day for sure, and remains a strong memory.  Twelve years later, it feels good knowing that my next visit to Wildcat will be philanthropically focused, and a chance for me to start giving back. 

Nick Arundel, the man who donated the land for Wildcat, said this about giving back:

“In the first part of your life, you learn.  In the second, you earn.  And in the third, you give back.”

The Nature Conservancy has given plenty to me through the years; now it’s time for me to return the favor.